Due to Shareholders of Acquired Companies - Summary of Amounts Due to Shareholders of Acquired Companies (Details) BRL in Thousands, $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 12, 2014 BRL
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 81,175	$ 210,948
Less: Current portion of due to shareholders of acquired companies	28,881	118,679
Due to shareholders of acquired companies, less current portion	52,294	92,269
Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM Brazil)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 46,475	52,043
Universidade Anhembi Morumbi (UAM Brazil) | Certificados de Depósitos Interbancários (CDI) | Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	2.00%
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, LLC (St. Augustine)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 11,550	11,550
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, LLC (St. Augustine) | Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest Rate %	7.00%
Monash South Africa (MSA)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 9,591	27,462
Monash South Africa (MSA) | Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest Rate %	6.75%
Universidad Tecnologica Centroamericana (UNITEC Honduras)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 4,184	5,196
CH Holding Netherlands B.V. (CH Holding)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	3,885	8,587
Faculdade Porto-Alegrense (FAPA)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	3,132	2,973
IADE Group
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 2,358	2,755
IADE Group | Notes Payable
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Interest Rate %	3.00%
Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas Educacionais (FMU)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total due to shareholders of acquired companies	$ 0	$ 100,382	BRL 250,000